Admittedly, not everyone loves dolls. Infact,theres an actual doll phobia, officially called pediophobia. Our very own Brittany had a pretty strong reaction to a few porcelain figurines the other day.
That said, I think I can speak for the thousands of other doll-loving individuals out there, when I say that barbies, stuffed animals, puppets, even rag dolls arent all that bad. They possess an innocence often overlooked or forgotten as we mature. In fact, Id dare argue that theres tons of design inspiration to be had from some of these creations, that go beyond just being pretty.
Today, Im taking a waltz into my childhood playground in which all 135 of my dolls were named and assigned character descriptions, bios and a world of inspiration. Moving beyond barbie dolls however, through the eyes of different formats of many cultures, Id like to demonstrate that doll styles from around the world can and do inform many aspects of style from fashion apparel to entertainment details.
Beauty & Cosmetics: The most popular doll reference is the aesthetics of modern day pop dolls like bratz and barbie. The topics of Beauty & Fashion often take center stage when debating how dolls influence us, so its no surprise that cosmetic giant MAC launched a previous campaign inspired by Barbie.
Fashion: If you take Jason Wus 2009 collaboration with French based Colette, like many other collaboration, couture on the runway directly influences (or is influence by) the detailed seams on a doll. Jason launched an exclusive couture doll based on one his runway creations, for example.
Jewelry & Accessories: Something that speaks dear to my heart is culture, as you know. Any way to infuse a vintage, tribal-chic serenade will always have a sweet spot in my heart. So when I stumbled onto the handcrafted couture dolls by Russian Canadian artist Marina Bychkova of The Enchanted Doll, I was immediately transported back to my childhood, where imagination and scaled details walked hand in hand.
Marina takes ball joints and fine porcelain art to an entirely new level with her nude figurines that hail from just about every culture. Each piercing gaze, each hair follicle, each well-attended nuance? Flawless! Equally flawless are her jeweled accessories to go with each doll, from beaded sarees and henna tatoos, to global-chic head pieces.
Sometimes dolls can offer both a literal and metaphorical avenue for inspiration, take this adorable afro-barbie with a flower tucked in her hair.
However, this wouldnt be a WEDDING NOUVEAU feature, if we didnt take our doll exploration a little off the beaten path, and venture beyond the traditionally western aesthetic. Royal de Luxe is one of the worlds most prolific marionette theatre companies, offering grand street puppetry performances around the globe. For a wonderful alternative to traditional wedding parades (like the Baraat of South Asia), How fun would it be to incorporate street puppeteers and marionette dolls?
Japanese Kokeshi dolls are an ancient art form dating back hundreds of years. There are modern interpretations of the Kokeshi as cake toppers or boutonnieresor as centerpieces, placed directly among you table decor.
Last but certainly not least, is the paper doll. An art form that taps into the very popular D-I-Y trend that reigns supreme these days. Inspired by the old fashioned doll cutouts, handing your bridesmaids and shower guests a little piece of a paper doll would be a charming way to say Merci.
Have a great day, doll.
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